People ask me one question so often. What is the best steak? As a butcher I feel the answer is simple enough, Ribeye. But when I think about it a little more the real answer can only be answered with a few more questions. Do you prefer bone-in or boneless? Do you prefer a leaner steak or one that has a little more fat? What is your preferred level of doneness? What is your available budget for this steak? Do you want a single steak for each person or are you going family style?

These are all very relevant and valid questions, ones that can make or break an anniversary dinner, spoil an important birthday or blow up your bank account because you had a few people over for a backyard BBQ. I’m going to give a little information and background on the way I (as a butcher and backyard griller) would direct you according to the answers you might give.

To Bone or Not to Bone

Would you like your steak to be bone-in or boneless? Both options carry a lot of merit. A boneless steak is without a doubt easier for people to cut and eat at the dinner table. It will result in you getting a little more bang for your buck in the more expensive cuts and a simple eating experience in most situations. The flavor on these steaks may not be as pronounced as a bone-in steak.

A few examples of popular boneless steaks are the filet mignon, New York strip, ribeye, and top sirloin. A bone-in steak will have that classic steak look many people are going for. If you think of the cartoon illustration of most steaks, they will all include the bone; either a t-bone or round bone round steak are the two that come to mind for me.

The bone-in steak will typically have a slightly beefier flavor and hold a higher moisture content. It will however require the person eating the steak to have a few knife skills and for the host to provide an adequate steak knife for the meal. Bone-in steaks may not be a very good option for young kids or elderly family members. Bone-in ribeye, porterhouse and t-bone steaks are a few good options in the bone-in steak world.

Let’s Chew the Fat

Do you prefer a leaner steak or one that has a little higher fat content? People have very strong personal opinions here. I have spent a pretty penny on a few great steaks only to watch my guest mangle a steak by trying to cut out every little piece of fat they see. I have also had the question raised by family members as to why I trimmed the steak so lean. Working in Colorado we had a tendency to leave a thicker frame of fat on our steaks. While finding our steak-eaters in Utah prefer a much leaner cut of beef.

Butchers and chefs will often say “ fat is flavor” and they are not wrong but the customer will oftentimes not want to pay a high price for the fat they will not eat. It is very important to know where you stand on fat content in a steak before deciding on what steak to buy. A few good options for a fattier steak will be a chuck eye steak, ribeye steak or a picanha. Leaner options could be a filet mignon, teres major or flat iron steak.

Dang, What Did You Do to My Steak?!

Who wants to hear, man my steak is way over cooked? Or, who is actually comfortable eating a steak that is just way too rare for them to be able to enjoy? I consider 120 degrees to 145 degrees to be a perfectly acceptable cooking temperature range for steaks. This does come with a disclaimer; not every steak will work well at these temperature ranges.

I am not a “steak snob”. I actually want everyone to get what they are looking for when they are standing across the counter from me. So be honest with your butcher or chef, ask for their suggestion based on your temperature preference and be honest with yourself about what you like.

My suggestions for temperature range on a steak are as follows:

120-129 degrees: rare
130-134 degrees: medium rare
135-139 degrees: medium
140-145 degrees: medium-well
146 and higher: well-done

This is my simple rule of thumb. Now, there is A LOT of room for further discussion here, and personal preference plays a big role here but we will save that for a different discussion.

What Steaks Are Right for Each Temperature Range

A few options for each temperature range could include these steaks:

Rare steaks need to be lean and lack any connective tissue so a filet mignon, and New York strip are great options.
Medium-rare steaks can have a little more fat and some connective tissue. So, I like ribeye, and top sirloin here.
Medium cooked steaks might need a little help. So, I’m looking for a nice amount of fat and a bone in steak here. That’s why I prefer a nice porterhouse or bone-in ribeye in this category.
Medium-well steaks are getting tricky and only a few steaks really work here but I would steer people to the chuck eye and bavette steaks work well in this range.
Well-done steaks are never suggested, but this is wanted by some steak eaters. So, I accomplish this by having people go with a thinner steak and a hot fast grill. So I like a thin cut t-bone, thin cut bone-in ribeye or a filet mignon.

I Want Steak but I’m NOT Paying That Price

Steak should be available to everyone. There, I said it ! Just like housing, transportation and clothing there are many levels of options here. Prime grade, choice grade, Wagyu, dry-aged or what is on special are all common things I hear from shoppers when discussing their personal steak options. Prices will vary depending on the popularity or the cut, how many you get per animal and also what is selling well that time of year.

Some steaks will sell for over $100 dollars per pound but you can still find an acceptable option on sale at your local retail grocer for around $5 per pound. I feel they can all be great depending on how well a person prepares the steak. I would never expect a choice grade top sirloin to be as good as a 60-day dry-aged prime-grade ribeye. However, I really enjoy the less expensive option.

It is important to understand your budget and to ask for suggestions and preparation options from your butcher. I'm not going to waste my time or yours discussing high-end steaks because we could literally write a book on those.

So, I will give you a few value steak options that I would suggest:

Never pass up a chuck eye steak if you see one in the meat counter.
Flat iron steaks are tender and pack a lot of flavor for about half the price of a ribeye.
Teres major is a nice compromise for a person wanting tender but not a Filet Mignon.

Have You Ever Done It Family-Style?

I’m going to share a crazy thought with you: Not every person needs a whole steak on their plate! Not every person will or wants to eat the same amount of steak. My 16-year-old son might be able to crush a 24 ounce steak on his own but my 20-year-old daughter might only like 4 ounces at a time. So, how do you cook a huge piece of beef and a small portion and get them both right?

It is hard but that is where the family-style steak comes into play. I use this method probably 90% of the time now. I will prepare a large steak to a medium temp and slice it up on a nice cutting board and allow everyone to take what they like or want. The display will look incredible and make for a great conversation piece as well.

The family-style steak also saves on your budget and I will tell you how. Wasted steak equals wasted money. It is not a good financial decision and is disrespectful to the animal. Family style steaks eliminate both scenarios. So what are a few great options for a family style steak? I'm glad you asked, my personal favorite is a tomahawk ribeye, tri-tips are another awesome option, as well as a 2-inch thick porterhouse.

Alright, I’ll Get to the Point: Which Steaks Are Best?

Without further ado, my suggestion for the best steak goes to two different steaks: a one-inch thick bone-in ribeye and a well-marbled tri-tip.

The Winner: One-Inch Thick Bone-In Ribeye

A one-inch thick bone-in ribeye cut from the large end and cooked medium-rare will always be king in my book. Season this dreamy steak with coarse ground black pepper, Himalyian pink sea salt and a little fresh crushed garlic. Cook it over hot charcoal with a few mesquite chunks tossed on them for the perfect smoky charred flavor we all crave in a great steak.

The Runner-Up: Well-Marbled Tri-Tip

My runner up is also a homerun for the beef lover. A well-marbled tri-tip is an amazing option that will stretch the budget and serve several people. It will have the flavor and juiciness from the marbling but also no heavy fat to turn off the lean steak lover. I feel these are best prepared on the smoker and then reverse seared over hot charcoal. Season this substantial cut of beef liberally, cook it to a medium level and slice about ¼ inch thick.

Bottom Line

Clearly there is so much to think about when picking your steak. And all of these options are valuable and very personal. Let's not be steak snobs, let’s celebrate the differences in the cuts, let’s respect each individual's preference on cooking temperature and let's be conscious about people's budget. Because all of these can make or break an important meal for someone.

Cheers everyone, I hope this helps next time you are looking for the best steak option for your important dinner!

Raising the Steaks